External affairs of the Vietnamese Party and State continue to be implemented actively and comprehensively to maintain a peaceful environment and stability and take advantage of external resources, contributing to overcoming the impact of the global economic recession, said a government report.

The report on the global situation and the external affairs of Vietnam in 2009 was presented to elicit feedback at the 18th plenary session of the National Assembly’s Commission for External Relations in Hanoi on Nov. 5.

According to the report, bilateral diplomatic activities were actively carried out to deepen ties between Vietnam and countries across the globe -- neighbours as well as those in the region, major developed countries as well as traditional friends and potential partners.

Multilateral diplomacy achieved important results, reflecting the increasing role and position of Vietnam as an active, responsible member of the international community.

Economic diplomacy focused on tapping external resources to solve domestic difficulties. This was closely combined with external relations in politics and economics, in order to increase the economic benefit from visits by high-level officials to foreign countries, and to accelerate the promotion of Vietnam to the world community, to boost exports, foreign direct investment, official development assistance and tourism.

A series of activities was implemented during the diplomatic and cultural year 2009 such as Vietnamese festivals in Singapore and Moscow, the holding of a Vietnam week in major Japanese cities, and the campaign for votes for Ha Long Bay, calling on UNESCO to recognise Vietnam’s natural wonders.

Major activities relating to work on mobilising the overseas Vietnamese community contributed to instilling patriotism, and preserving the national cultural identity, the report said.

Thanks to the NA’s adoption of the revised housing and land laws, the Party and State fundamentally solved policy issues relating to benefits for overseas Vietnamese, such as visas, citizenship and housing, thus winning over the trust of the expatriot community and its links with the fatherland.

Additionally, the protection of citizens abroad was undertaken to better help Vietnamese people living and studying in foreign countries.

Important results were seen in the external affairs of the Party, the National Assembly, people-to-people diplomacy, external defence and security, as well as in the affairs of ministries, agencies and localities, the report added.

At the meeting, delegates stressed the importance of cooperation between concerned agencies in external relations, meeting the demands of the new situation and promptly addressing emerging issues as they arise.

They also provided comments on a draft report by the NA Commission for External Relations on the world situation and the external affairs of the State over the last year./.